As part of the research that went into developing Greater Lexington’s Regional Competitiveness Plan, biopharma was identified as a key sector for growth because of the business advantages our region provides. From 2019 to 2025, pharmaceutical manufacturing jobs in Greater Lexington grew 59%. To leverage and strengthen the life sciences and biotech sectors across the Greater Lexington Region, Commerce Lexington recently launched the Bluegrass Life Sciences Consortium to foster collaboration and enhance communication among local companies. By uniting employers, academia, and students, the program creates an ecosystem designed to support industry expansion and innovation.
This Consortium ensures that Lexington doesn’t just host biotech companies but actively cultivates the talent and partnerships necessary for them to thrive long-term. To highlight the industry, Commerce Lexington hosted its inaugural “An Evening with Industry” presented by BioRealty, Inc., which focused on the Bluegrass Biopharma and Life Sciences sector on September 30 at Alltech’s Lexington Brewing & Distilling Company.
(Nathan Richardson – Piramal Pharma Solutions, Simon Scholte – Kindeva, Christin Hollis – Catalent Pharma Solutions, Jason Luring – ROIS)
The event featured a panel discussion moderated by Jason Luring (ROIS) that included Simon Scholte (Kindeva), Christin Hollis (Catalent Pharma Solutions), and Nathan Richardson (Piramal Pharma Solutions). Amy Glasscock (Director of Business Engagement) and Erica Rogers (Director of Agricultural Development), were also on hand from Lexington Mayor Linda Gorton’s office, along with Bluegrass Community & Technical College President Dr. Greg Feeney, who announced a new pilot TRAINS grant program that will further enhance the life science industry’s workforce by upskilling employees from some of the region’s existing contract developing and manufacturing organization (CDMO) companies. Available through KCTCS colleges, TRAINS is a fund designated by the Kentucky General Assembly to help companies willing to invest in workforce development for their employees. Companies that qualify receive funding to assist with the cost of providing workforce training and assessment services to current as well as potential employees.
Commerce Lexington’s Executive Vice President of Economic Development Gina Greathouse, said, “We are very excited to bring this event to the business community. The biopharma sector has seen tremendous growth recently, with expansions by the state’s three largest CDMO’s Kindeva, Piramal Pharma Solutions, and Catalent Pharma Solutions, located right here in the Greater Lexington Region. The more we can nurture these companies and create valuable connections between specific industries and the resources they need to be successful, the stronger our economy will become.”
The Bluegrass Life Sciences Consortium initiative focuses on two primary workstreams:
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Training & Talent Pipeline: Bridging the gap between education and employment by ensuring students and workers have the specific skills needed to fuel local biotech companies.
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Cross-Company Collaboration: Encouraging established businesses to share resources, ideas, and strategies to accelerate the growth of the entire regional industry.